Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After the system notified him that he received OP for completing the weapon, Vahn felt even more proud of his creation. He had been worried that he would be unable to earn any OP in the next three months without finding a way to sneak into the dungeon. Now that Vahn knew he could do so with forging, he was incredibly happy. Nanu had been watching him polishing the weapon, and seeing his happy expression, she said in a firm tone, "Very well done, Master. It is a beautiful sword."

Vahn nodded his had at her words and, after a bit of thought, decided against asking if she wanted the sword. He knew she used a shortsword due to her small stature, but after accidentally acquiring the young chienthrope as a 'mate', he was trying to reflect on his actions a bit. Instead, he said, "Once I become skilled enough, I'll make equipment for everyone." Vahn then stored the sword into his inventory to later give Hephaestus. Though he was using the materials to practice, he still intended to try and sell them to pay her back one day.

Nanu's tail was wagging back and forth after hearing that she, along with the other hounds, would receive equipment in the future. Though she knew Vahn was far from being a master, the fact he put so much effort and detail in the items he forged had a big impact on her. It made her feel that the 50-55% success rate she was managing when creating ingots was shameful. While Vahn started shaping the second blade, she returned to her station and put more focus into her work. If she was going to be at the side of the 'Alpha' in the future, she had to increase her own capabilities or it would dishonor them both.

Vahn spent the next five hours forging the second sword and made it in a very similar manner as the first. Other than some of the decorations to enhance the look of the final product, the structure was nearly identical so Vahn determined it would be the sister sword of [Tempest] and named it [Gale].

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[Gale]

Rank: C

Slots: 1

P.Atk: 238+90

M.Atk: 141

Ability: Sharpness(B)

Sister-sword of [Tempest] and forged in a near identical manner. It has been polished to an incredible extent and possesses a refined edge enabling it to show a cutting prowess far above similarly constructed swords. Has a synergistic effect when wielded with its sister-sword.

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Vahn was surprised by the extra description and the fact that he got 440 OP for completing [Gale]. Removing [Tempest] from his inventory, Vahn equipped both swords at the same time and felt a strange connection in his mind while wielding the two swords. After investigating the stats, he noticed they both had an additional 50 M. Atk, pushing them very close to B Rank items.

Seeing the synergistic effect of the item, Vahn had an inspiration for the future. If he could forge items with the 'intent' of them enhancing each other, he could make entire sets that synergize in the future. If someone wore an entire outfit that he created, they could potentially fight above their level with equipment alone. Vahn found the prospect very exciting, so instead of just forging 'for practice', he now forged with a specific intent in mind. He also knew that, if the items had extra effects, they would be worth far more when sold later.

As they had spent almost 11 hours in the forge, it was nearly 8 PM, which meant that it was nearing the time for dinner. Right, when the clock struck the eighth-hour, Anubis came in and asked him the same questions as the prior day, so they all made their way to the bath. Nanu was a lot more forward than she was the day prior, and after she finished washing Vahn's chest, she actually sat down in between his legs with her back to him.

Vahn was a bit confused, but then Anubis handed him a sponge and he understood what was going on. Since she had washed him, as the 'mate', he had to return the favor or it would hurt her standing. As it wasn't his first time washing a girls body, Vahn was able to do so without difficulty, but he still felt a little awkward at the rapidly changing situation. By the time he had finished cleaning her body, he felt his heart itching a little because she made no effort to conceal anything from him. Instead, she seemed to be 'displaying' herself for his appreciation.

Remembering what Anubis said the first day they all took a bath together, he now understood what she meant when she warned him about treating them like anything other than children. Now that Nanu considered herself his 'mate', she was very proactive in approaching him and receiving his affection and care. Though she was very small, she was still similar in age to Vahn, so it wasn't the easiest task of ignoring her obvious advances.

After the bath, the group had dinner, and Vahn was somewhat grateful that nothing else had changed since the prior evening. Like before, Nanu sat to his right, but she acted very proper while watching the other children eat. When everyone finished eating, she waited for Vahn and Anubis to finish before taking the initiative to have the other children clean up. Though she still helped them with the dishes, she acted more-so as the supervisor than an extra pair of hands.

Like before, when everything was finished, she reported the results to Vahn and received his 'praise' before dismissing the other children. Vahn felt like his role as the 'Alpha' had been taken by the now hyper-confident little girl. He began to suspect that, the more he enabled her actions, the more power of his she would seize just to please him. When all the other children left, Nanu had remained behind and Vahn said, "Nanu, even if you're in a higher position in the hierarchy, don't take things too far. Remember, I want everyone to act as a family whenever possible."

Nanu nodded her head in a deferential manner as she bowed slightly and said, "I understand, Master. I will do my best to make sure matters don't get out of hand. Thank you for your guidance." Satisfied by her response, Vahn gave her another pat on the head before heading toward his room. However, before he got more than ten steps, he stopped and looked over his right shoulder at the girl that had fallen into step behind him.

Before Vahn could ask, Anubis spoke out toward Nanu, "Nanu, Master Vahn said you had to wait until you were older. Even if you consider yourself his 'mate', he has the right to invite others to his chambers. Unless he specifically asks, you need to prevent yourself from acting in an overbearing manner or you will insult him." After Anubis finished speaking, Nanu's eyes widened before she bowed low and said, "Please forgive me, Master. I did not mean to overstep my bounds."

Vahn looked at the little girl who had bowed as a nearly ninety-degree angle as she apologized to him. Seeing her drooping ears and tail, Vahn felt a little bad and almost reached out to comfort the girl. However, before he was able to do so, Anubis gave him a sharp look and shook her head. Thinking he may have been making another mistake, Vahn removed his hand before saying, "As long as you remember my words, it is fine. There is plenty of time in the future, you don't have to be in such a rush."

Nanu, who had been expecting Vahn to comfort her, heard his words and felt a bit of fear in her heart. She had been acting to try and please him, and every time she did so he had 'rewarded' her, so she quickly got out of hand. Now that he didn't pet her after accepting her apology, Nanu felt like she had genuinely upset him. She fixed her stature and tried to appear unfl.u.s.tered by the sudden change, and then bowed to Vahn politely before saying, "I will excuse myself fire, Master. If you need me, I will be within the...girls' room." Nanu, recalling she had to return to the room with the other girls, felt defeated and a bit ashamed.

Vahn watched the young chienthrope walk away while pretending to keep her bearing. However, even though she had a mock confidence on her face, she didn't seem to be able to prevent her ears and tail from drooping. The sight looked sad and lonely, and Vahn wanted to call out to her and cheer her up, but any attempt to do so was interrupted by Anubis. After Nanu had long disappeared from the corridor, Anubis spoke, "Master, I would suggest that, before you continue interacting with the other children, you study up a bit. Please, follow me."

Following Anubis, Vahn found himself outside of her room, which was also to the left of his own. She opened the door and invited him inside before following in behind him. When he entered, Vahn saw a large stack of books, scrolls, as well as various items neatly arranged on the floor. Anubis began explaining, "The Guild keeps a compendium on the various cultures, races, and histories of every group on Eden. These items will provide Master with all the information he needs and will allow him to make more informed decisions in the future. If, after Master looks over them, he has any questions, I will be more than willing to assist, Master."

Vahn picked up one of the books titled [Mythos of the Southern Tribe] and started browsing through it for a bit before placing it into his inventory. He now understood what Anubis had requested additional funds for. However, seeing the other items strewn about, Vahn had a few questions he wanted to ask right now. Picking up a large collar, Vahn turned to Anubis and asked, "What about these other items? Do they have something to do with the culture of the Southern Tribe?"

The moment Vahn held out the collar toward her, Anubis's ears twitched a bit as she stared at the large black collar. Averting her eyes, she explained, "Master will find out when he reads the books...but, many girls in the Southern Tribe appreciate gifts like that. It is very common for men to give a collar to the woman he loves to display that she is 'taken'. Typically, if a woman is without a collar, it indicates she is either single or seeking a mate. If a woman is unwilling, they typically wear small chokers instead."

Vahn nodded his head, but he continued to look at the various other items that had been left out. Though he believed her story about the collar and would be able to verify it for himself, he didn't understand the use of the other items on the floor. There were small chains, ropes, and even handcuffs off to the side. Vahn even found a strange and aromatic oil that smelled incredibly sweet.

Anubis watched Vahn inspecting items and could feel her heart rate increasing. Though she hadn't said anything, Anubis wanted Vahn to take an interest in the items. If she was able to increase his intrigue, he might even want to try the items out as he did with [Enkidu] the previous day. Vahn began putting away all the items into his inventory, including the extra items Anubis had purchased. Seeing the items disappear, Anubis felt dejected, but she didn't say anything to disturb his actions.

Vahn didn't want to bother Anubis by asking about every little item and assumed he would be able to find the answers in the doc.u.ments he received. If he couldn't figure it out on his own, he could always ask her later after all. Turning toward the girl who was gently smiling at him, Vahn couldn't help but raise his brow a little as he saw her ears drooping down on her head. Though her appearance remained unchanged, she seemed to have the same difficulty as other chienthropes as her ears and tail gave her away.

Thinking that she had wanted to be more useful to him, Vahn shook his head in a helpless manner as he approached the sulking goddess. Before she could react to his approach, he reached out his hand and started stroking her hair and ears. Unlike the previous times, this time Vahn channeled [Hands of Nirvana] to bring her a bit of comfort. Anubis accepted his affections without complaint, and her tail started gently wagging back and forth. Like he had done before, once Vahn saw her tail wag, he pulled his hand away and said, "Thanks, Anubis. This will be very helpful."

Anubis blanked out for a moment, but then just bowed and wished Vahn a pleasant rest. She followed his back as he left her room, and the moment the door closed she threw herself into her bed and screamed into her pillow. After she let out her frustrations with her voice, she started beating up the pillow while imagining it was some aquamarine-eyed boy with no delicacy and understanding of a woman's heart. She now understood why someone like Hephaestus, who was often calm and cool, seemed to act like a completely different person around Vahn.

After she tired herself out, Anubis released a long sigh as she muttered, "Idiot..."

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Abandoned Pupper','Nanu gets shut down','It's climbing gear guys...I swear. What else would you use ropes, straps, and chains for?')